Adjustable ottoman



NOV. 10, 1959 c FUERST ADJUSTABLE OTTOMAN Filed March 14, 1957 FIG. 6

I N V EN TOR. C'ar/ fizz-sf FIG ATTORNEYS United States Patent ADJUSTABLE OTIOMAN Carl Fuerst, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Gleitsmans, Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application March 14, 1957, Serial No. 646,039

6 Claims. (Cl. 155- 169) The present invention relates, in general, to ottomans and, in particular, to ottomans having adjustable seat members. I

Ottomans of the general type to which the present invention relates are disclosed in the copending applications of Harold Gleitsman and Carl Fuerst, Serial No. 591,228, now Patent No. 2,838,097 filed June 13, 1956 and Serial No. 636,646, filed January 28, 1957, both of which are assigned to the assignee hereof.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an ottoman, of the described type, which will provide maximum comfort when used, per se, as a bench or backless seat or when used as a foot rest, in combination with a conventional chair, to provide a posture chair.

"Another object is the provision of an ottoman having a tiltable or adjustable seat member wherein the seat member is so mounted that during the adjustment or tilting thereof one side thereof moves toward the floor while the opposite side thereof moves upwardly from the floor to provide a desired degree of pitch or tilt.

A further object is to provide a generally improve simplified and efficient adjustable ottoman.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in-connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

a In the drawings which illustrate the best modes 1y contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a posture chair or seat presentformed by the ottoman of the present invention in association with a conventional chair;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the ottoman illustrated in;Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the ottoman, on, an enlarged scale,,taken in the direction of the arrow 3'inFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the ottoman, onan enlarged scale, taken in the direction'of the arrow'4 in Fig.' 2;

Fig.5 is a fragmentary sectional'view, taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; and y Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig; 5.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, a backless seat or bench, in order to provide the maximum sittingcomfort, should have a sitting height of substantially 14 inches whenmeasured from the upper or top surface thereof to the floor. Similarly, in order to provide maximum comfort in a leg rest,;the leg rest must match, or be adjustable to, the sitting height of the chair with which it is used and should provide a desired pitch. It has been found that a chair which has a 16 inch sitting height above the floor provides maximum sitting comfort, and that a leg rest which provides a pitch or slope of founto five inches I will provide maximum comfort when utilized with a chair having a sixteen inch sitting height.-

' Pursuant to the basic inventive concept of the present in vention, there is provided an adjustable ottoman which ICC is so constructed as to provide the most comfortable sitting height when utilized, per se, as a backless seat or ventional chair having substantially a sixteen inch sitting height. Referring now to the drawings in detail, the ottoman 10 is constituted by the open frame base support 12 which is provided with the rotary adjustable or tiltable seat member or element 14.

As here shown, the frame 12 is constituted by the spaced opposing end members 16 and 18 secured together by the cross members 20 and 22. The end members 16 and 18, as here shown, each has the configuration of an inverted U to provide the base or bight portion 24 from which there depend theopposing legs 26 and 28. The end members 16 and 18 may be formed of any suitable material, for example and not by way of limitation wood, metal or plastic. If desired, the legs may be provided, at their free ends, with suitable casters 30, as indicated in broken line in Fig. 4. As here shown, the cross member 22 is constituted by a rod like element of suitable material, the opposite ends of which are secured to the legs 28-28 as by the securing elements 32. As best shown in Fig. 5, the legs 28 of the end members 16 and 18, respectively, are recessed, as at 34, to receive the adjacent ends of the cross member 22. The opposite cross member 20 is also formed of any suitable material, and, as here shown, is in the form of a plank or flat member, the opposite ends of which are received in recesses 36 defined in the legs 26 of said end mem i bers, being secured therein as by the securing elements 38. 'Therefore, it will be apparent that the open-work frame 12 constituted by the opposing U-shaped end members 16 and 18 and interconnected by the opposing cross members 20 and 22 constitutes a substantially rigid base or support for the ottoman 10. If desired, cut outs may be provided in the bight portions 24 or handles may be provided thereon. to facilitate the lifting and carrying of the ottoman 10.

Pursuant to the basic concept of the present invention, the seat member 14 is mounted forpivotal or rotary movement about the horizontally mounted pivot member 40 which extends between the frameelements 16 and 18- intermediate the cross members 22 and 20, as best. shown in Fig. 5. More specifically, the opposite ends of the pivot member or support 40 are received in recesses 42 provided in the opposing bight portions 24, being retained therein as by the .securing elements 44. The seat mem:

ber 14 is providedwith' a bottom plate 46 formed of suitable rigid material, for example and'not by way of limitation wood or metal and is provided with an upper part 48 secured to said underlying plate. The upper part may be formed of any suitable seat forming material,v

such as for example and not by way of limitation. foam rubber, hair or the like, and may be provided witha.

suitable covering or upholstery material. The seat member 14 is mounted on the pivot member 40 by means of the flanged U-shaped brackets 50 which encompass the,

pivot member 40 and which are secured to the base plate of the seat as by the securing elements 52. From the foregoing, it will be apparent thatthe seat member 14 will be readily apparent that as the front or lateral side 54 of the seat moves'toward the floor on which the ottoman 10 is supported, the opposite or'rearlateral side 56" thereof simultaneously moves upwardly oraway from the floor, to provide a desired tilt of slope from the upper side 56 to the lower side 54, said sides having free Patented Nov. 10, 1959.

3 movement in opposite directions about the pivotal axis of the seat member, the cross member 22 serving as a'detent to limit downward movement-of side 54.

In order to retain the seat member 14 in normal horizontal disposition thereof and in various tilted or sloped dispositions thereof, provision is made for a releasable locking mechanism, generally indicated by the reference numeral 58. Said locking mechanism is constituted by the locking device or structure 60 provided on the seat member '14 and the-elements 62-62 provided on the cross member 20, which define complementary locking apertures.

The locking structure 60 comprises agenerally U- shaped locking member 64 having a bight 66 which is mounted for rotary movement onthe base element, 46 of the seat member 14 within a sleeve or housing 68 suitably secured tothe base element 46, as by the securing elements 70. The U-shaped locking member 64 is provided with the spaced arms 72-72 at the opposite ends of the bight portion 66 thereofand arms terminate in the inwardly bent free ends 74 which are adapted to be received in the locking devices 62. As best shown in Fig. 6, each locking device 62 is constituted by a preferably metallic strap 76 which is mounted on the cross piece and suitably secured thereto. The strap isprovided with the vertically spaced apertures 78, and complementary apertures 80, in registry with the apertures 78, are defined in the cross member 20. In order to facilitate the engagement of the locking elements 72 in the registering apertures 78 and 80, the member 64 is provided with the coiled springs 82 which bias the locking elements 72 toward the straps 76. The seat member 14 is releasably and securely locked in its horizontal seat defining portion by the engagement of the locking.

tongues 74 in the lowermost locking apertures, as shown in full line in Fig. 3. It will be readily apparent that the seat 14 can be retained in a particular adjusted tilted position thereof by engaging the locking tongues 74in the corresponding locking apertures, as shown inbroken line in Fig. 3, where the seat is retained in aposition of maximum slope or tilt.

As previously indicated, the illustrated construction of the ottoman 10 satisfies the two separate comfort requirements, namely, a comfortable sitting height for the ottoman, when utilized as a backless bench or seat, and secondly, a comfortable slope or pitch of the seat member 14 when utilized as a leg rest in combination with a chair as shown in Fig. 1. In this connection, the ottoman 10 is preferably constructed so that the height or vertical distance between the upper surface 88 of the seat member 14 thereof and the floor, in the horizontal: disposition of the seat member as shown in Fig. 2,:will be substantially fourteen inches to provide a sitting height of maximum comfort whenutilizing the ottoman as a backless. seat. or bench. However, the normal sitting height for the chair C, from the seat 84=thereof to ground, is substantially sixteen inches. The seat member 14. of the ottoman 10 can be-readily adjusted. to the sitting height of the chair by tilting the seat member so that the corner 86 thereof, defined by therear side 56 andthe upper surface 88 of the seat member 14' will be raised from the fourteen inch heightthereof, in the horizontal position of the seat member, to a height of sixteen inches, as shown in the broken line position thereof inFig. 3, whereby said corner 86 will be at a level with the seat height indicated by the seat 84 of the. chair C. Simul- 14'will drop'from, a high poinbof-sixteen inches, at the- I apertures below the uppermost locking aperture so as to lessen the maximum pitch illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the corner 86 will be lowered and the corner 90 will be raised accordingly.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described inconnection with an ottoman having a sitting height preferably of fourteen inches and a maximum slope or pitch of four inches from a high point of sixteen inches to a low point of twelve inches, it will be unerstood that these specifications have been given by way of illustration only, and that the ottoman 10 is not limited th reto but that any desired sitting height and pitch or slope dimensions may be utilized within the basic concept of the present invention. In addition, while the pivot 40 hasbeen illustrated and described as a member secured to the bottom or base 46 of the seat element 14, it will be understood that it is within the concept and purview of thepresent invention to utilize other types of pivot or fulcrum arrangements. For example, and not by way of limitation, the pivot 40 may be incorporated within the seat member 14 between the topsurface 88 and the bottom plate 48 thereof and may constitute either a continuous pivot member, such as member" 40, or a pair of separate pivot pins which extend from the opposite ends of the seat 14 into the recesses 42.

In addition, while the locking apparatus 58 has been illustrated as utilizing the springbiased locking mechanism 60, it will be apparent that it is within the concept of.

the present invention to utilize other types of locking devices, for example and not by way of limitation, a looking device wherein the locking elements 72 engage in the registering apertures 78 and by gravity or otherwise,

and that various other types of automatic or manual locking devices may be utilized, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my'invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and.

desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An ottoman comprising a frame support having a pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts interconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member having opposing lateralsides and being mounted by said end parts for rotary' devices provided on, said seat member and on one of said cross parts, and the other of said cross parts constituting a detent to limit said rotary movement of said seat member from said horizontal disposition thereof, said. other" cross part being spaced vertically from said seat member; when said seat member is horizontally disposed.

2. An ottoman comprising aframe support. having a' pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts in terconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member having. opposing lateral sides and being mounted by said end parts for.

rotation about a horizontal axis intermediate said, cross parts, formoving said lateral sides equally in opposite.

6 directions, and, means for releasably lockingisaid seat members inhoriz'on'tal disposition thereof and in.

tion thereof displaced from said horizontal disposition, said locking means comprising a pivoted latch means provided on said seat member and a plurality of vertically spaced locking apertures complementary to said latch means further including bias means mounted thereon and engaging said seat member and said latch means for urging said latch means into said apertures, said one cross member being contiguous with said seat member and said other cross member being vertically spaced from said seat member, in the horizontal disposition thereof, said other cross member engaging said seat member when said seat member is displaced from said horizontal disposition, for determining the maximum displacement of said seat member. I

3. An ottoman comprising an open frame support having a pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts interconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member mounted by said end parts for pivotal movement therebetween about a horizontal axis disposed between the front and back of said seat member whereby said front and back move in opposite directions upon rotation of said seat member, said seat member being adapted to lie either in a horizontal position at a predetermined level to provide a seat disposed at a predetermined desired sitting height or in a selected one of a plurality of tilted leg supporting positions in which the front of said seat member is' below said predetermined level and the back of said seat member is above said predetermined level, and means for selectively and releasably locking said seat member in each of said dispositions thereof comprising cooperating locking devices on said seat member and on said frame support, said locking devices being visible and directly accessible manually for the actuation thereof in each of the plurality of dispositions thereof.

4. An ottoman comprising an open frame support having a pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts interconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member mounted by said end parts for pivotal movement therebetween about a horizontal axis disposed between the front and back of said seat member whereby said front and back move in opposite directions upon rotation of said seat member, said seat member being adapted to lie either in a horizontal position to provide a seat or in a selected one of a plurality of tilted leg supporting positions, and means for selectively and releasably locking said seat member in each of said dispositions thereof comprising cooperating locking devices on said seat member and on one of said cross parts, said locking devices being visible and directly accessible manually for the actuation thereof in each of the plurality of dispositions thereof, and the other of said cross parts being vertically spaced from said seat member in the horizontal disposition of the latter and constituting a detent to limit the rotary movement of said seat member from the horizontal disposition thereof.

5. An ottoman comprising an open frame support having a pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts interconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member mounted by said end parts for pivotal movement therebetween about 6 a horizontal axis disposed between the front and back of said seat member whereby said front and back move in opposite directions upon rotation of said seat member, said seat member being adapted to lie either in a horizontal position at a predetermined level to provide a seat disposed at a predetermined desired sitting height or in a selected one of a plurality of tilted leg supporting positions in which the front of said seat member is below said predetermined level and the back of said seat member is above said predetermined level, and means for selectively and releasably locking said seat member in each of said dispositions thereof comprising latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said rear of said seat member and a plurality of vertically spaced locking apertures complementary to said latch means visible and directly accessible manually defined in one of said cross parts, said latch means being visible and directly accessible manually for the actuation thereof in each of the plurality of dispositions thereof.

6. An ottoman comprising an open frame support having a pair of spaced opposing vertically oriented end parts interconnected by a pair of spaced opposing horizontally oriented cross parts, a seat member mounted by said end parts for pivotal movement therebetween about a horizontal axis disposed between the front and back of said seat member whereby said front and back move in opposite directions upon rotation of said seat member, said seat member being adapted to lie either in a horizontal position at a predetermined level to provide a seat disposed at a predetermined desired sitting height or in a selected one of aplurality of tilted leg supporting positions in which the front of said seat member is below said predetermined level and the back of said seat member is above said predetermined level, and means for selectively and releasably locking said seat member in each of said dispositions thereof comprising latch means pivotally mounted adjacent said rear of said seat member and a plurality of vertically spaced locking apertures complementary to said latch means visible and directly accessible manually defined in one of said cross parts,

said latch means being visible and directly accessible manually for the actuation thereof in each of the plurality of dispositions thereof, and means for biasing said latch means into said apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,780 Fenny Dec. 26, 1882 1,184,594 Von Nagy May 23, 1916 1,788,113 Leach Jan. 6, 1931 2,017,433 Carrington Oct. 15, 1935 2,474,814 Billet et al July 5, 1949 2,528,331 Bell Oct. 31, 1950 2,566,498 Revercomb Sept. 4, 1951 2,574,425 Thompson Nov. 6, 1951 2,600,759 Gross June 17, 1952 2,838,097 Gleitsman June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 426,541 Germany Mar. 13, 1926 445 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1861 of 1861 

